‘Quite clearly’ - former referee issues verdict on Leeds United v Arsenal controversies

Former referee Dermot Gallagher has weighed in on the controversial incidents during Leeds United’s defeat to Arsenal. The Whites put on a brave display against the league leaders, but they ultimately fell short to a Bukayo Saka winner. Leeds came close, missing a penalty, having a goal disallowed and having a late penalty overturned.

Patrick Bamford was involved in all three of those incidents, and Leeds were left feeling hard done by at the full-time whistle, especially because of the reversed penalty. Bamford appeared to bump Gabriel Magalhaes, who fell to the ground and then kicked out on his way down. Referee Chris Kavanagh spoke to his assistant about the incident before giving Gabriel a red card and awarding a spot kick.

However, after a review of the VAR monitor, Kavanagh rescinded the red card and chalked off the penalty, a decision former referee Gallagher agrees with. "I think it is a really interesting incident,” he told Sky Sports. “The referee doesn’t give anything but goes over to his assistant, who says to him that Gabriel has kicked out. 

“It is quite clearly a foul (from Bamford), we see the kick (from Gabriel) – it is petulant, it is unsporting but it is not violent. I think it is reckless at worst. The first foul is by Bamford.  I think ultimately the right decision has arisen from that.”

On Bamford’s disallowed goal, Gallagher simply added: “I thought it was a foul, when you look at it, it’s hard to say it is not a foul.”

Bamford did win a penalty earlier in the game, only to put the ball wide of the post. But according to Gallagher, even that decision was touch and go. “I think it is handball, not given on the field but given by VAR. He moves towards the ball, so it is a penalty for me.  He (Kristensen) is offside, there is no doubt about that. But it went on too long, the ball goes back and gets recycled, it takes too long so they don’t go back that far.  There has to be a point where you have to reset.”